Johnson balks at CDC guidance that Wis. health officials support
Republican Sen. Ron Johnson is criticizing new mask guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and again questioned the effectiveness of masks, which public health experts say is an important measure in protecting against the spread of COVID-19.
Johnson issued a statement Tuesday on the CDC’s “new mask mandate.” The agency itself did not mandate mask-wearing but recommended masks in areas where COVID-19 have spiked to concerning levels.
“The initial goal of public policy was to flatten the curve so we wouldn’t overwhelm hospitals. At some point, federal agencies moved the goal posts. The initial goal was achievable. I’m not even sure what the new goal is. Time to let Americans, not federal agencies, make decisions for themselves and their children. Time to reclaim liberty and end this state of fear,” Johnson said.
As he has done in the past, Johnson questioned if masks work and whether they “do more harm than good” especially for children, who he said have a low risk of serious disease or death.
According to the CDC, mask-wearing reduces infections and has no significant adverse health effects for wearers.
According to statewide data, no deaths from COVID-19 have occurred in the 0 to 9-year-old age range and three have occurred among 10 to 19-year-olds. Cases among younger age groups who cannot receive the vaccine are rising in Wisconsin.
On Wednesday, state health officials backed the new CDC guidance and recommended masks be worn in K-12 schools. They said that previous infection with COVID-19 does not ensure protection from the delta variant. Children under 12 are not yet eligible for COVID vaccines.
Johnson has not been vaccinated. His spokeswoman said he “tested positive for COVID-19, he had an antibody test and has a high level of antibodies, therefore will not be getting the vaccine.”
Public health officials do not know how long the immune system protects itself after an infection with COVID-19 and encourage all eligible people to get the vaccine.
“The duration of that protection is unknown,” said Ajay Sethi, associate professor of population health sciences at the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health. “The science is already showing that people who have had the vaccine have better responses to the (delta) variant than people who had past infection.”
Johnson’s spokeswoman said he is “pro-vaccine” and “wants the pandemic to end and hopes the vaccine will play a key role in ending it.”